The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in northwestern Pakistan, killing over 20 security personnel and civilians, amid rising militancy following the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's return to power in Kabul.
A suicide bombing in northwestern Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province killed at least 13 soldiers and injured dozens, including children, in an attack claimed by a Taliban faction, amidst rising violence since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan.
Five Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver were killed in a suicide bomb attack on their convoy in northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The convoy was en route to a hydroelectric dam construction site when the attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into it. The incident comes amid heightened security concerns for Chinese nationals working on various projects in Pakistan, with separatist groups like the Baloch Liberation Army claiming responsibility for recent attacks. The Chinese embassy in Islamabad has not yet commented on the incident, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ten policemen were killed in an attack on a police station in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, with at least six others injured, as violence escalates ahead of national elections. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TPJ) claimed responsibility for the attack, part of a mounting wave of violence in the run-up to the February 8 elections. Separately, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has intensified attacks in the southwestern Balochistan region, prompting temporary internet restrictions on election day to prevent terrorist communication.
At least 23 people were killed and 34 injured when fighters stormed a police station in Daraban, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The attackers rammed an explosives-packed vehicle into the station's main gate before launching a suicide bombing. The Pakistani military reported that six attackers were killed, and sanitization operations are underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area. The Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), claiming affiliation with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), took responsibility for the attack. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has experienced a surge in violence, with the TTP becoming more emboldened since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.
Three soldiers, including a major, were martyred in separate shootouts with terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Major Amir Aziz and Sepoy Muhammad Arif were killed during an intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan, while Havildar Muntazir Shah was martyred during an exchange of fire in the Khyber district. The army chief, General Asim Munir, visited the area and vowed that the nation will not be coerced by terrorists, emphasizing the resolve to fight against terrorism.
Gunmen stormed a school in Pakistan's Kurram district, killing seven teachers who were members of the Shiite community, and gunning down another teacher from the same school in a separate attack. Earlier in the day, six Pakistani soldiers were killed in a shootout with militants in North Waziristan. The surge in militant attacks across the country in recent months has posed a challenge for the government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has emboldened the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has stepped up attacks across Pakistan, mainly targeting security forces.